This invention relates generally to steam turbines and, in particular, to a bending device to enable on-the-job bending of the seal strips for a steam turbine. The seal strips in a steam turbine function to maintain pressure within the various stages as is known in the art. The seal strips generally are attached to the turbine casing and stationary blade structure. Typically, each stage in a steam turbine includes a set of stationary blades and a set of moving blades. The seal strips, after time, tend to become eroded or begin to wear. This results in a loss of pressure in the corresponding stage of the steam turbine and ultimately an overall loss of efficiency for the turbine. There is a variety of steam turbines in use today with numerous diameter casings and stationary blade structures which prevent the stocking by servicing personnel of the necessary sizes of seal strips. The seal strip is an alloy steel as is known in the art and the diameters of seal strips vary from as small as 20" to as large as at least 100". Typically, the seal strip will have a length equal to one-half the circumference of the turbine casing or stationary blade structure of the turbine.
Problems often arise at the job site because replacement seal strips that are available are of the wrong diameter and the customer's stock of seal strips is limited and often not the specific sizes needed during the outage of the turbine. This often causes delays until the correct diameter replacement seal strips are obtained.